Journal
JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY
Volume 48, Issue 20, Pages 4393-4399Publisher
WILEY
DOI: 10.1002/pola.24226
Keywords
atom transfer radical polymerization; block copolymers; N-isopropylacrylamide; self-assembly; smart polymers
Categories
Funding
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [22300173] Funding Source: KAKEN
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We report here a reversible self-assembly formation system using block copolymers with thermo-tunable properties. A series of double-responsive block copolymers, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm))-block-poly(NIPAAm-co-N-(isobutoxymethyl) acrylamide (BMAAm)) with two lower critical solution temperatures were synthesized by one-pot atom transfer radical polymerization via sequential monomer addition. When dissolved in aqueous solution at room temperature, the block copolymers remained unimeric. Upon heating above room temperature, the block copolymers self-assembled into micellar structures. The micelle formation temperature and the resulting diameter were controlled by varying the BMAAm content. 1 H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, dynamic light scattering, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and fluorescence spectra revealed the presence of a monodisperse nanoassembly, and demonstrated the assembly formation/inversion process was fully reversible. Moreover, a model hydrophobic molecule, pyrene, was successfully loaded into the micelle core by including pyrene in the original polymer solution. Further heating resulted in mesoscopic micelle aggregation and precipitation. This dual micelle and aggregation system will find utility in drug delivery applications as a thermal trigger permits both aqueous loading of hydrophobic drugs and their subsequent release. VC 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 4393-4399, 2010
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